Just Wait

by Candace Cortez

I have two kids. They are marvelous little humans who consistently show me new things about myself, about life, and about God. They are growing up, which I am daily appreciative of. But I do feel like my mommy heart is missing phases we have just graduated from even though I am always looking forward to the next stage. It’s a weird place to be but I think a lot of parents can understand that tension with me…right?

They have reached the days when they are relatively tech independent and can control our tablets, phones, and gaming consoles without assistance from me or my husband. This is both a relief and a fresh worry. (Yay parent controls!) The other day, while my son was enjoying his last day of winter break binging, I noticed he was keeping the Xbox controller turned on even after he began his episode. Frustrated at this frivolity, and realizing why I am constantly being berated for batteries, I told him to turn it off. He obeyed, but then I noticed the same controller back on around 8 minutes later. Que mom rage. Yes, I get there quickly sometimes. I decided to wait with the verbal reprimands and observe further to see why he was determined to send me shopping for AAs. That’s when I noticed it. When an episode of a program ends, Netflix gives you a certain amount of time to decide if you want to switch programs. At the end of that time, it just begins the next episode for you. Pretty convenient if you ask me. However, not convenient enough for my nine-year-old. He was keeping the controller on to press “begin next episode” instead of waiting for the 14 seconds that Netflix allotted. He could not wait the 14 seconds! What?! This kid.

I see this inability or unwillingness to wait in so many areas of life. It seems that we are creating systems that help us be more efficientwhile surrendering some of the very tools that create patience. In trying to teach my own family the power of patience, of waiting without complaining, I find myself purposely denying them the easy and immediate in order for them to build up those patience muscles.

Right now, I am currently in prayer for several big things happening in my life. I feel that same desire to just skip to the answer, the resolution, the healing, the growth moment now. I too, need to grow my patience muscles. I need to learn to just wait. Wait on the Lord, wait on my growth process, wait on people to learn how instead of just doing it myself. Patience is hard. But if we can just wait, sometimes that’s where we find the Lord’s voice.

Waiting creates anticipation, an awareness, a focus that we may not experience in the moment of possession. Once we have what we want, we are onto the next.

My heart for myself this year is to know God more than ever before. Yes, I want to get healthier, spend wiser, and read more books. But the beat of my heart is to know God for real, not just of Him or a second-hand account of Him. For me, I know this means I need to wait. Take it slow. Knowing God takes time. A lifetime actually. We can spend our entire lifetime pursuing God and still discover more of who He is. If we lose the ability to exercise patience, we may miss this. We may give up after we know a few Bible stories, or have a few mountain top experiences during worship and turn to something that doesn’t take as much effort. 

Just wait. Keep searching for who and how He is. There’s more to discover.

In The Waiting

by Tim Howard

If you ever see me at a store waiting in the checkout line, don’t get behind me! I’ve not been given the gift from God that enables people to choose the line that will require the shortest amount of time. It doesn’t matter what store I frequent or what time of the day, the result is generally the same. In similar fashion, I am positive that all the slow drivers in Hanford follow me around town whenever I get behind the wheel of my car.

Whether it’s waiting in the checkout aisle or waiting behind an automobile driver who seems to move slower than I prefer, patience is not my strongest suit. That’s unfortunate because waiting is a part of life and there is no escape. I remember this incredible feeling that surfaced in my senior year of High School when I just couldn’t wait until I graduated. Then I couldn’t wait to get into college, I couldn’t wait to get married, I couldn’t wait to have children, the list goes on and on… you are always waiting for something!

Patience is the ability to wait with a positive attitude. It is an old English word that means ‘longsuffering’. One person asked, “How long does one have to suffer?” and someone answered: “Longer than you want.” That says it all! Patience is waiting longer than you want for something to happen.

What we often overlook is the work God is trying to accomplish in us while we are in the waiting process. From His vantage point it is not idle time. It is not a time to twiddle our thumbs or tread water until something changes. It is an opportunity to expose what’s on the inside and deal with our character. When I wait with the wrong attitude, I see frustration, irritation, sometimes anger and intolerance coming to the surface. The waiting doesn’t create these character flaws but reveals them.

God tells us in the book of James, chapter one, that times of waiting will test our faith. Once you pass the test, however, you can move on to greater things. The author puts it this way: “…when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything.”

Learning to wait is essential. Everything cannot, should not and will not happen NOW or as quickly as you might desire. Instant gratification may be prevalent in our culture but delayed gratification will build character when your attitude is correct.

There is danger in the waiting period. You might be tempted to draw wrong conclusions about God. You may start to doubt His love for you. You may think He has forgotten about your situation. You may even be tempted to take matters into your own hands since He isn’t moving as fast as you would like. Let me assure you God hasn’t forgotten you. He is never late and He always has your best interest in mind.

The next time you are in the waiting process, check out what’s going on internally and take note of what’s coming to the surface. Don’t forget that God is at work in you to develop your character in these times. If you remember this you might even be able to relax and rejoice in the waiting!